Consumers conned by would-be lovers

With Valentine's Day approaching, now might be a good time for lonely consumers to watch out for a con called the "romance scam." In this scam, criminals pose as would-be lovers through social media or dating websites, strike up an Internet-based relationship and then ask for money so they can travel to meet their pursuer. Once the lonely victim sends the money, the conversations end and the money is gone. MoneyGram International Inc., a money-transfer company, said those in the dating market should avoid sending money to people they've never met. And once someone asks for money, it's time to look for someone new.